Straight from the Sports Desk

Now that the NFL Super Bowl approaches — which means that the 2008-09 football season is running out of time — here is my view on a 2008 H-DNC all-league football team.
First of all, my selections reflect my own opinions and don’t pretend to represent the entire sports desk at The Times-Standard. I have chosen these players based upon the 20 prep games that I observed this season, as well as discussions with other sports writers, media and coaches.
There are three significant differences between the “official” H-DN selections previously released and my team: the number of “all-league” players, an “honorable mention” category, and Most Valuable Players.
The H-DN listed a total of 85 players — 41 players from the Big 4 (20 all-league, 21 honorable mention) and 44 players from the Little 5 (22 all-league, 22 honorable mention) — on its two all-league teams.
By contrast, the “Tarpey team,” that combines the Big 4 with the Little 5, has only 24 players.
I do not have an “honorable mention” category because I think that each kid who suits up and takes the field earns that title.
And, this is definitely a team, so I have no MVPs.
Although several of my nominations typically played both ways, I have put them at only one spot, with the exception of two players who also appear on the four-man “special teams” unit.
Finally, in retrospect I think that The Times-Standard’s three-person sports desk did a very good job in our weekly predictions of win-loss results for the 66 games involving H-DNC teams. Although our predictions were not always popular with some coaches, parents and players, we were correct 74 percent of the time.
Ray finished 46-20 (.696), Sean ended up at 49-17 (.742) and I came in at 52-14 (.787).
Without further ado, here is Tarpey’s 2008 H-DNC all-league football team:

Offense
QB Chris Pender, McKinleyville Jr. (6-2)
RB Jourdan Del Biaggio, Ferndale Sr. (6-1, 190)
RB Brad Cobb, Fortuna, Sr. (6-0, 175)
WR Cody Hoffman, Del Norte Sr. (6-3)
WR Greg Allen, Eureka Sr. (6-2, 170)
TE Jesse Slade, Ferndale Sr. (6-2, 200)
OT Dustin Walters, Ferndale Jr. (6-4, 285)
OT Isaac Ranstead, Hoopa Sr. (6-0, 270)
C Troy Pooley, Fortuna Sr. (6-4, 300)
OG Gunnar Wise, Eureka Sr. (5-10, 225)
OG Cory Hebard, South Fork Sr. (5-10, 235)

(N.B.— I opted to move Slade from WR to TE)

Defense
DE Silas Sarvinski, Ferndale Jr. (6-0, 230)
DE Brett Whitchurch, Fortuna Sr. (6-3, 200)
DT Oliver Rayl, Ferndale Sr. (5-9, 225)
DT Dallas Mohorovich, Eureka Jr. (6-2, 260)
LB Tim Couch, Arcata Sr. (6-2, 200)
LB Soma Vainuku, Eureka Jr. (6-1, 260)
LB Donald Cain, McKinleyville Sr. (N/A)
LB Austin Clary, South Fork Sr. (5-10,175)
CB Trevor Hash, Eureka Sr. (6-3, 180)
CB Jimmie Griggs, Ferndale Sr. (5-9, 165)
FS Andrew Ayers, St. Bernard’s Sr. (6-1, 170)

(N.B.— I opted to have a 4-4 with only three DBs)

Special Teams
Punter Andrew Ayers, St. Bernard’s Sr. (6-1, 170)
Kicker Kyle Matyshock, Ferndale Sr. (6-0, 175)
Returner Cody Hoffman, Del Norte Sr. (6-3)
Player Khan Johnston, South Fork Sr. (5-8, 160)

Coaches
Rookie Jeremy Waldrip, St. Bernard’s
Coach of the Year Mike Benbow, Fortuna
Emeritus Kim Jorgensen, Ferndale

Posted by Neil Tarpey at 01:06 AM | Permalink | Comments (739)

When all is said and done, there probably will be a new No. 1 team in the Times-Standard H-DN prep football power rankings when they are released next week.

Continue reading "No. 1 Spot Up For Grabs" »

Posted by Ray Aspuria at 10:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (2093)

What is HSU really going to do for him?
Will the administration make sure he gets enough scholarship dollars to compete? If they promised him that, where are they going to get the money from? A.D. Dan Collen has told me several times that the community is "tapped out." Where else can HSU go?
Then there's the issue of whether HSU was honest with Smith before hiring him. A former coach told me Doug Adkins was promised the world — six recruiting scholarships from the school and he could fund raise to maybe 12. Turns out the admin, according to the coach I spoke with, meant he could fund raise to SIX TOTAL SCHOLLYS. Big difference.
Would Adkins have taken the job if he was under that impression the whole time? Who knows. Who knows if the coach is even telling me the truth.
One thing is certain, though. Considering the way HSU has handled the hiring process — from taking nearly 2 1/2 months to shutting out the media after taking some critricism to forming a search committee that was nothing more than the good ol' boys network — there is a disconnect between administration and athletics. The administration has shown they do not know, or have not been serious about doing what it takes to make football a serious contender at the D2 level.
Please share with me your thoughts and experiences.

Posted by Sean Quincey at 12:22 AM | Permalink | Comments (1087)